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Hong Kong residents turn to malls to escape extreme heat
Hong Kong hit 36.9 degrees Celsius on Aug. 9, the hottest reading since 1884, as heatwaves are projected to intensify and spread by 2040.
Hong Kong residents, including underprivileged elderly people, are spending hours in air-conditioned shopping arcades as extreme heat disrupts sleep and raises health concerns, according to the South China Morning Post.
One retiree in his seventies living in a roughly 100 sq ft subdivided flat said he limits air conditioner use to avoid high electricity bills, but has experienced dizziness and chest tightness inside his home during recent hot and stuffy weather.
The report says Hong Kong recorded 36.9 degrees Celsius at the Observatory’s headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui on Aug. 9, the highest temperature since records began in 1884.
It added that a study published in May projects heatwaves will occur more frequently and affect larger areas around the Pearl River Delta, including Hong Kong, by 2040.